St Philips Chambers

St Philips Chambers has a long-established reputation as the ‘top set in the Midlands’ when it comes to property disputes and hosts ‘a number of able barristers’ with expertise in this field. With broad experience covering boundary disputes as well as claims concerning easements and restrictive covenants, among other areas, Michelle Caney heads the real estate team in chambers. She is noted particularly for her recent involvement in high-profile litigation proceedings concerning claims for possession against persons unknown arising out of protest encampments at various universities. John Aldis’ experience covers boundary disputes as well as adverse possession claims and claims concerning easements. Jonathan Gale recently acted for the claimant in Clapham v Narga, a Leicestershire boundary dispute heard in the Court of Appeal that considered the relationship between adverse possession and overriding interests in registered land where title had been extinguished prior to first registration. John Randall KC retired in April 2025 after 44 years at the Bar, and Anthony Verduyn ceased practising in December 2024 and now exclusively offers mediation services.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Justin Luckman is excellent and is always happy to help.'
'The clerks are first rate, quick to respond and very organised.'
'Ross Hands and Tom Kelly are great clerks. They are approachable and responsive.'
'Ross Hands is probably the best clerk they have, but the juniors Tom Kelly and Jake Smithers always seem to be happy to help.'
'St Philips has always been the top set in the Midlands (perhaps even outside London) for real estate disputes.'
'St Philips is a good set for property work with a number of able barristers.'

Lawyers

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.

John Brennan

'John is very clever but nonetheless easy to work with. His trial manner is excellent, both in terms of cross-examination, or when addressing judges. You definitely want him on your side.'

Christopher Buckingham

‘Christopher is incredibly hard-working, diligent, is happy to get stuck into a case and provides clear, robust and effective advice and paperwork. He is clear and strategically excellent in his advocacy and he gets positive results.’

Michelle Caney

‘Michelle is exceptional. Her attention to detail and academic knowledge of the law is second to none. Her ability to make the most complex legal issues appear simple is an immense strength. She is well liked by clients and often requested by name when an issue arises.'

John Aldis

'John has many strengths, in particular, the quality of his pleadings and advocacy. His ability to react and think on his feet is particularly impressive. John's style of advocacy is calm and measured, and his attention to detail is excellent.'

Jonathan Gale

Gavin McLeod

‘Gavin's attention to detail in drafting is unparalleled. He is impressive on his feet, evoking admiration and displaying great skill in advocacy. His knowledge of the law and the eloquence and speed with which he deals with matters arising in court, is a joy to watch.'

Anya Newman

‘Anya is clear, considered and concise in her advice. She is also commercial in weighing up the pros and cons of litigation as well as also settlement or mediation.’

David Nuttall

‘David is a very capable advocate and has an excellent manner with both lay and solicitor clients. He has a very good grasp of the relevant law and delivers his advice in a concise and well-thought-through manner.'

Rising stars

Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.